Mar 23, 2022
CONTROVERSIAL ART IN SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Art means different things to different people and we all tend to have our unique tastes when it comes to art - whether we are interested in it or not. Art can impress when we resonate with it, but too often I notice that the art that other people like just makes me feel disgusted. All the nudity, strong emotions, or violence is quite often present in art, and it makes me feel bad.
When it comes to short-term rentals, I think we should keep the spaces neutral and universally acceptable. If we place controversial pieces of art, there is a high chance that we may upset some people who stay in our rentals. One upset guest often means one more negative comment.
I have seen many kinds of places, but the worst places came with upsetting art. There was one place that had sadistic pornography hanging on the bedroom wall. After seeing "art" like that, you immediately start checking if there are hidden cameras in the apartment, and of course, you will start thinking about what kind of a host you might be dealing with.
When it comes to short-term rentals, I think we should keep the spaces neutral and universally acceptable. If we place controversial pieces of art, there is a high chance that we may upset some people who stay in our rentals. One upset guest often means one more negative comment.
I have seen many kinds of places, but the worst places came with upsetting art. There was one place that had sadistic pornography hanging on the bedroom wall. After seeing "art" like that, you immediately start checking if there are hidden cameras in the apartment, and of course, you will start thinking about what kind of a host you might be dealing with.
·····
If your place is meant for families, you should also consider that there may be small children staying in there, and the environment should be suitable for them too.
First, kids shouldn't be exposed to any kind of violent or sexual content. Second, kids may get scared of things that we, adults, would see as normal. I once stayed in a house that had these tribal masks on the bedroom wall. The masks were beautiful, but at the same time, they were a bit scary in the dark. I can only imagine how kids could get scared when seeing something like that.
So if you want to appear professional, I would suggest focusing less on expressing your persona through the art and just trying to choose the most neutral pieces to please everyone. One good example is to hang art that somehow represents the country, city, area, or even the building's history that we are in. Nature is always a good example, and landscapes tend to universally please a lot of people.
I had one of the best art experiences in Iceland. The apartment had a photograph of a beach that the village was famous for and I think it was a rather professional choice to market the area and keep it neutral at the same time. If you don’t own any local art, you can contact local photographers, painters, or handcrafters and ask them to custom make you something with a local vibe.
As a good rule of thumb, try to avoid presenting anything religious, political, tribal, violent, sexual, or images of people in general. If you hang images of real people, there is a risk that some may feel like these images are staring at them. Also, avoid presenting hunted animal heads or preserved dead animals in your apartment. This can irritate or scare people away.
As a good rule of thumb, try to avoid presenting anything religious, political, tribal, violent, sexual, or images of people in general. If you hang images of real people, there is a risk that some may feel like these images are staring at them. Also, avoid presenting hunted animal heads or preserved dead animals in your apartment. This can irritate or scare people away.